


The Right Reason

by depthsofmysol



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, M/M, Stony - Freeform, Superhusbands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-16
Updated: 2013-02-16
Packaged: 2017-11-28 20:02:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/678365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/depthsofmysol/pseuds/depthsofmysol
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone had told Steve exactly what Tony Stark was like. He knew the risks and still decided to jump in. Having seen it for himself he wondered if the risk was truly worth it. Or if they'd be better off going their separate ways.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Right Reason

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SerenitySky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerenitySky/gifts).



Nat had been the first one to talk to him; having spent enough time working with Tony at Stark Industries and having attended plenty of functions to know the man inside and out. She'd told him what he was like, how he could be condescending, arrogant, immature, and most of all very selfish. There may have been warnings about his own sanity if he decided to actually engage in some sort of relationship with the man, and she'd warned him that eventually he would break his heart if he decided to give it away. At the time Steve thought it was odd that she felt the need to tell him _all_ about Tony as if he was some naïve kid.

Everyone knew about the Stark family and while he had appreciated their talk, he actually did know what he was getting into. That talk had been four weeks ago, and in that time there hadn't been any need for concern. Tony was still Tony, spending hours on end working in the workshop forgetting to eat or drink or even shower. Between himself and Pepper they'd made certain he at least took care of himself to some degree. Now he was starting to understand why he'd been given _the talk_ , and he wondered if there was something more he could have done to prepare himself.

"Hey Steve, everything okay?" She asked as she laid a hand on his arm. Pepper had seen just how miserable Steve had looked once Tony had left his side to mingle with the guests, and watched as he made his way through numerous conversations before excusing himself and making way to the second floor walkway. She'd waited an appropriate amount of time before deciding someone should at least check in with him considering this was the first time he'd attended one of the events as Tony's _date_.

"Miss Potts – I mean Pepper," he said, remembering that she'd preferred he not use the whole 'Miss' with her. "I guess so, yeah." Steve normally wasn't one to lie to someone. Especially when that someone was Pepper Potts, a friend and ally when it came to dealing with Tony. But he also felt like sharing his thoughts, as stupid as they probably were, might have been some sort of insult to the woman. He actually enjoyed talking with Pepper, and had gained a lot of insight into Tony. The last thing he wanted was to break that fragile bond.

" _Steve_ ," she said, crossing her arms across her chest. "if there is something going on that I need to know, I would prefer finding out about it _now_ and not in tomorrow's paper. So out with it."

An angry Pepper wasn't something anyone wanted to mess with, let alone someone Steve wanted to cross. He'd seen it time and time again, and knew the woman was only looking out for Tony. But if he let her in on the fact that he felt useless, that having been told what to expect was nothing like actually seeing it and he was starting to have his doubts on whether or not he'd made the right decision, would she still see him as the same person he'd been earlier that day? Or would she see him as just another Stark failure?

"It's nothing," he admitted before leaning on the railing and directing his gaze towards the small crowd that had gathered around Tony. And it was nothing. Just something that he couldn't get out of his head, something he didn't quite understand why it should bother him as much as it did. Nat had told him all about this before. He should have been _prepared_. Then why did it feel like a betrayal?

"It's hard, I know. But this is just part of the package that is Tony Stark," Pepper told him as her eyes landed on the sight below them. "He says he hates all of this but I know he secretly loves all the attention. It's just part of who he is."

"I know," he confessed sighing, "I just – it's one thing to have it explained to you. I got all that. But seeing it? Seeing him in action like this? I don't think anything could prepare someone for that."

"As someone who's been there before, I'm going to give you some advice," Pepper offered the other man in the knowledge that it would most likely help the situation. "Tony's a lot for one person to take on as I'm sure you've figured out. He likes to think he's complicated and strong but underneath it all he's human just like you and me."

Looking at the man she had once dated, Pepper remembered the first time they'd gone to one of the society galas and how she had to learn quickly to swim with everyone. While it had been good, it had also been a nightmare, and she didn't want Steve to go through the same things she had. He'd been through a lot already, having to get used to all the technology that came with being in a new century. Adding the stress of figuring out how to navigate one of these galas wasn't something he needed. Not when the only reason Tony invited him along was because they were an item. Something else she needed to talk to Steve about. It would probably end up hurting Tony in the short term, but in the long term it would do him a world of good. Even if he never saw it that way.

"You're good for him, Steve," she said as she laid a hand on his arm. "But if you can't deal with this, if you think that seeing him as he is tonight isn't something you'll be able to handle, it's best you leave now before he gets too attached to you. Make certain you're with him for the right reason and not out of some sense of duty." And she hadn't said that to be mean. If anything Pepper had told him that so he knew that she was just trying to look out for Tony's best interests. Should they lay with Steve she would support it. But if the other man couldn't handle it? Tony needed someone to look out for him when he couldn't do that himself.

"Thanks Pepper," he told her before she walked off, nodding that he understood the meaning behind it all. She was Tony's friend, and he understood that more than anyone. Bucky had been that way towards him before the serum.

He also knew that he had a lot of things to think over and staying at the museum would only complicate matters. But leaving would reflect bad on Tony as they'd arrived together. Which meant Steve needed to find the back exit and slip out before anyone knew he'd even left. As he looked down at the crowd he'd noticed that Tony was no longer there, and turning towards his left spotted the man walking towards him. Trouble, he mused as he tried to lock up the turmoil that was bubbling beneath his skin.

"So this is where you sneaked off to," Tony teased as he stopped next to Steve. He'd spent most of the nigh schmoozing with anyone and everyone, and somewhere along the line he knew he'd lost his date for the night. Pepper would have his head as she'd told him to at least keep an eye on the man as he wasn't used to dealing with the types of people that were circulating the museum.

Unfortunately he didn't have the chance to go looking for him as he had been constantly dragged around to meet the heads of the different charities that were in attendance. Most of which, of course, were asking for him to donate to their causes or emcee some event in their name. He'd told them to talk to Pepper and then politely excused himself to search for not only a strong drink but for Steve as well. Leaving him to the piranhas that were in attendance would only end up with one or both of them in trouble from his assistant.

"Didn't sneak up here," he told him point blank. Steve had told himself he wouldn't allow his emotions to get in the way, but the casualness to Tony's voice was doing little to make him feel at ease. "And shouldn't you be down there mingling with everyone? Won't they miss you?" He was nothing more than some sort of escort in their eyes, someone who'd won the right to be at the great Tony Stark's side for an evening. Even if they knew who he was, they still saw him as nothing more than an accessory. It hurt and frustrated him at the same time. How could anyone deal with this constantly?

"Are we jealous, Captain?" Tony knew that using Steve's military title tended to get on his nerves more so than when he just used the man's last name. But hearing what he could only assume was jealousy from his date for the evening had put him on edge. And when on edge he resorted to sarcasm and whit as a form of protection.

"Alright," he said, sighing, "that one there, the one who initially dragged me away. Runs a charity benefiting a children's hospice. Married with three kids and four grandkids. Wanted to know if I'd help her in some way." Just like every other time someone asked for his help he directed them to Pepper and informed them they would need to make an appointment. It wasn't the best way to handle things but it was the most efficient. If anyone knew his schedule it was Pepper. She'd always made certain he never missed an important meeting, and if he did she would always reschedule with a myriad of excuses. Tony knew he'd be lost without Pepper.

"And that one there," he continued on, pointing to another one of the women he'd dealt with, "oh, uh she was a reporter asking for an 'exclusive' interview. And that one – "

"Tony, it's fine you don't need to explain," he told him, not wanting to hear any more excuses. Steve knew that's what they were to some degree. Excuses as to why he'd just allowed himself to be swallowed up instead of making certain they wouldn't get separated. If he wanted to hear more of them he could just head back downstairs and listen to everyone. What he wanted was to get out of there, to clear his head, and figure out just what his reasoning was for being with Tony Stark.

"I'm just going to head back to the tower," he added as he stood back up. "This really isn't my thing anyway."

"Great, I'll come – "

"No," he told the other man in no uncertain terms, "you stay here. I mean you're needed here. I'm not. So I'm just going to return to my apartment. You stay and enjoy yourself."

"You're certain? I mean we did arrive here by limo," Tony told him, his curiosity already piqued beyond belief as to why Steve would want to leave. Unless – "Before you go, answer me something Rogers. You're not leaving because something Pepper said, are you?" He'd seen the woman talking to Steve before he'd excused himself from the group and it had been bothering him since he'd walked up and started to talk with him. And Pepper did tend to be a bit protective of him at times, but he was an adult and the last thing he needed was for someone to watch out for him. At least not when it came to those he decided to date. "I mean I know she's always looking out for me, but don't let her scare you," he added in an attempt to take the edge off of his previous question.

"No, of course not," Steve admitted, even though he knew it was a bold faced lie. "Not leaving because of Pepper. These sort of things have never been something I enjoyed. Reminds me too much of – anyway, no it's not because of anything she said." Again, he hated having to lie but Pepper did have a point. He needed to sort through everything he'd seen tonight and figure out once and for all if this was something he could do, or if they would be better off as nothing more than friends and team-mates when the need called for it.

Without even waiting for Tony's response, Steve walked past him and headed out of the museum. Luckily he found someone willing to take him back to the tower and as he rode the elevator up to his floor, he couldn't get the words Pepper had told him out of his head. Could he honestly accept that part of Tony? The one that he'd seen tonight at the museum? Or would he constantly be wondering if he was just using him? If the reason he was late was because he was out with some woman? Trust was a two way street and Tony Stark had never been one to trust so easily. But could he learn? It was one of many things Steve knew he needed to think through.

"JARVIS," he called out as he walked towards his closet.

"Yes, Captain."

"Could you relay a message to Pepper Potts and inform her that I'm taking her advice, and will be gone for the next week," he instructed the AI as he worked at gathering the things he would need for his week away from the city, "could you also ask her not to tell anyone just why I've left." The last thing he needed was for someone to tell Tony and have the man go on a self-destructive binge. Steve had only heard about them from Pepper, and he didn't want to be the reason the man went through yet another one.

"Of course. Should I inform Mister Stark as well?"

"No! No JARVIS, Tony doesn't need to know," he said as he stopped what he was working on, "just – there's nothing he needs to know."

"Sir, if I may suggest something. You should at least let him know you've gone on your own and haven't been kidnapped."

"Alright," he agreed sighing. It made as much sense as anything, and stuffing the rest of his stuff in the bag he would throw over the back of his motorcycle, thought about exactly what he wanted to say. "Tell him – it's nothing he's done, that I'll be back in a week and not to do anything stupid." Steve knew that Tony would probably spend most of his time away in a drunken stupor. But that was his choice. He needed the time away to decide once and for all if getting into a relationship with Tony Stark would be beneficial to them, or if it would be destructive to the team as a whole. For once, he would force Tony to think about someone other than himself.

Grabbing his bag, the leather jacket, and his keys from the table, he walked out of his apartment and into the elevator with the knowledge that in a week's time he would either come back ready to accept Tony for all that he was or he would come back ready to accept that they would be better off as friends, that the needs of the team outweighed their own personal ones. Whichever one he eventually decided upon Steve just hoped that Tony would accept it as well.

Three hours later Tony finally stumbled back into the tower, having drank far too much once Steve had actually left him. Even though the other man had told him that Pepper had no influence on his decision to leave, he couldn't quite let go of the feeling that she'd scared him off. Pepper, his fiery assistant, had scared off Captain America. It wasn't something he'd thought he would ever see, and had decided to drown his thoughts in as much of the free alcohol as possible. Once again it was Pepper who had dragged him out of the museum and threw him into the nearest limo with directions to take him back to the tower.

As he stumbled into his own apartment, it occurred to him that Steve should be a few floors down. "JARVIS," he asked even though his words were still slurring together, "Steve down in his apartment?" Tony wanted to talk to him about his abrupt exit and why he hadn't wanted him to tag along.

"I regret to inform you, sir, that Captain Rogers has left the tower and won't be back for another seven days."

"Right," he said remembering that Steve had told him he would be here, when in reality he was planning on leaving all along. "Well, inform Miss Potts that I want an explanation as to what the hell she said to him. Tomorrow." With the amount of alcohol he'd inhaled, combined with the amount he was about to drink there was no way he would be conscious should she arrive at the tower any sooner than the next morning. Tony also wanted some time alone in the workshop. There was only one way to work through everything that was going through his head – start work on a new version of the suit.

"And if anyone should show up tonight, I'm not here," he added as he changed his clothes and made his way to the elevator. At least he could take some odd form of comfort in being surrounded by his bots and his computer equipment. Unlike humans, they had always been there, had never left the instant they find out just what sort of person he was. It was going to be a long week, but at least he would be surrounded by the things that meant the most to him.


End file.
